Friday basketball rundown: Allderdice continues City League dominance, tops Obama Academy; Belle Vernon’s Zion Moore scores 2,000th career point

At some point, Allderdice will lose another game to a City League opponent.

It failed to happen Friday, though, as the Dragons extended some lengthy win streaks while continuing their City dominance.

Lukas Stead scored 17 points and City League front-runner Allderdice moved closer to another regular-season title after a 46-38 home win against second-place Obama Academy.

It was the 77th consecutive City League regular-season win for Allderdice (10-9, 7-0), which took a two-game lead over Obama (7-7, 5-2) in league play with three games remaining. The Dragons are trying to go unbeaten in the league for the eighth season in a row. Their most recent regular-season defeat to a City League opponent came in 2017 when Buddy Valinsky was still the coach.

“His team set that precedent, and we tried to just maintain it as best we could,” said Allderdice coach Devin Crummie, who collected his 100th career win.

The four-time defending City League champions have not dropped a league game of any kind, regular season or postseason, since falling to Obama in the 2020 City League championship, and the win Friday against Obama was their 11th in a row against the Eagles.

“It’s a standard,” Stead said. “We put in the work. All summer we’re playing in multiple leagues playing anyone we can. It starts in the weight room, too. All summer just working hard, building that really good nucleus with our teammates.”

After rallying from five points down in the fourth quarter Jan. 14 to beat Obama, 43-39, in the first meeting, Allderdice was in full control Friday for the first three quarters. The Dragons led by 12 points at the half and by 13 after three. But after a free throw a few seconds into the fourth quarter extended the Allderdice lead to 41-27, Obama went on a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to make it 41-36 with 3:59 left.

But Allderdice then connected with a counter punch. The Dragons got a free throw, a driving layup by Trey Schachter to put the Dragons ahead by eight, and a charge drawn by Asher Schwartz to cool Obama’s surge. The Eagles drew no closer than six the rest of the way.

Allderdice was excellent defensively, holding Obama to its lowest point total of the season. The Eagles shot just 32% from the field (15 of 46) and 33% from the free-throw line (6 of 18). Standout guard Naron Jackson scored 17 points but was the only player to reach double figures.

“You can’t stop Naron. You can just try to limit his uncontested shots,” Crummie said. “And even when he made some shots, they were contested for the most part and they were tough shots.”

Stead had another big game for Allderdice. A 6-foot-3, 215-pound junior forward, Stead added 14 rebounds to help him grab what was his fifth double-double in the past six games. Stead also is a standout tight end and linebacker in football who this week received his first Football Bowl Subdivision offer from Akron.

Schwartz was the only other Allderdice player to score in double figures, finishing with 11 points. The Dragons shot 42% from the field (18 of 42) and 50% from the free-throw line (8 of 16).

Other boys games

• John Rehak scored a career-high 23 points and added 10 rebounds to lift Fox Chapel (15-4, 10-2) to a 53-48 win at North Hills (6-14, 5-7) in Class 6A Section 1. Asher White chipped in 16 points for the Foxes, who outscored North Hills, 15-10, in the fourth quarter. Zach Pollaro paced North Hills with 20 points.

• Stainton Forbes and Andrew Gettinger each scored 19 points and Tayt Lucas added 18 to propel host Butler (13-6, 6-6) to a 72-57 win against Seneca Valley (11-9, 8-4) in Class 6A Section 1. Butler led, 49-29, after three quarters. Owen Congdon scored 19 points for the Raiders, who dropped their third consecutive game.

• Calvin Winfrey scored 21 points and Notorious Grooms had 19 to help Uniontown (17-3, 12-0) to its ninth win in a row, 75-60, against visiting Gateway (10-8, 8-4) in Class 5A Section 1. Uniontown outscored Gateway, 24-13, in the fourth quarter. Paul Nnacho led Gateway with 22 points, and Mykel Bruce-McCrommon added 18.

• Dylan Donovan scored 21 points to help Peters Township (13-5, 7-3) deal host South Fayette (13-7, 8-3) its third consecutive loss, 53-47, in Class 5A Section 3. The Indians outscored South Fayette, 18-13, in the fourth quarter. Gavin Orosz scored 16 points to lead South Fayette.

• Amir Turner and Braden Stuart scored 15 points apiece to propel Moon (16-4, 7-3) to a 64-54 win at Mars (11-9, 5-5) in Class 5A Section 4. It was the third win in a row for Moon, which went 19 of 25 from the free-throw line. Drew Navetta converted six 3-pointers among his 19 points to lead Mars.

• Jackson Bauman scored 16 points and Teegan Finucan added 14 points for Knoch (14-5, 9-1), which avenged its only section defeat by topping visiting Deer Lakes, 48-45, in Class 4A Section 1. Nate Moore scored 14 points to lead the Lancers (16-4, 9-2), who trailed by nine points after three quarters before holding a 20-14 advantage in the fourth.

• Rowan Carmichael scored 18 of his game-high 26 points in the second half to help host Avonworth (15-3, 7-1) take down Central Valley, 56-42, in Class 4A Section 2. Carmichael scored 11 of his points in the third quarter when the Antelopes held a 23-8 scoring edge. Isaiah Jeter of Central Valley (15-4, 5-3) made six 3-pointers and finished with 22 points.

• Zion Moore scored his 2,000th career point while helping Belle Vernon (17-4, 10-1) roll to a 76-49 win against visiting East Allegheny (5-14, 2-8) in Class 4A Section 3. Moore scored a game-high 37 points, 29 in the second half, to push his career total to 2,001. Belle Vernon has won 11 games in a row.

• Noah Felentzer pumped in 30 points and Southmoreland (15-4, 8-0) remained unbeaten in Class 3A Section 4 courtesy of a 58-51 overtime win against visiting Waynesburg (8-10, 6-2). Southmoreland outscored Waynesburg, 12-5, in overtime. Cole Headlee had 17 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists for Waynesburg, which had won seven in a row.

• Jefferson-Morgan (13-6, 9-3) used a fourth quarter rally to defeat visiting Fort Cherry, 45-44, in Class 2A Section 3. The Rockets trailed Fort Cherry, 39-33, after three quarters before outscoring the Rangers, 12-5, in the fourth. Jeremiah Robertson led Jefferson-Morgan with 12 points, while Shane Cornali scored 24 to pace Fort Cherry (9-8, 7-4).

• It was anything but a quiet game for David Kwiat, who poured in 48 points to lead Neshannock (15-2, 10-1) to an 89-32 win against visiting Western Beaver (2-17, 0-12) in Class 2A Section 4. Kwiat made six 3-pointers for the Lancers, who held a 61-13 lead at the half. No other Neshannock player scored more than 8 points.

• Taegan Russo, a 5-foot-5 freshman guard, came off the bench to drill eight 3-pointers and score 24 of points to help Shenango (9-10, 7-5) to a 75-70 upset win at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (15-5, 10-2) in Class 2A Section 4. Russo finished 8 of 8 from deep, with all coming in the second half, including six in the fourth quarter. 

• Courtney Wallace had yet another triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to lead Neighborhood Academy (19-1, 8-0) to an 80-37 win at Geibel Catholic (11-8, 3-5) in Class 1A Section 2. Kedron Gilmore added 22 points for the Bulldogs, who won their ninth in a row.

Girls games

• Amelia McMichael scored 22 points, including the 1,000th of her career, but it wasn’t enough for Butler (9-9, 4-4), which fell to visiting Seneca Valley, 57-53, in Class 6A Section 1. Gracie Cato scored 15 points and Natalie Hambly 14 for Seneca Valley (13-5, 8-0), which won for the eighth time in its past nine games.

• Mya Moore made the go-ahead free throw with 10 seconds left in overtime to lift Mars (11-8, 5-5) to a 54-53 home win against Moon (10-7, 5-5) in Class 5A Section 3. The Planets got 16 points apiece from Alexis Cashdollar and Carmella McDole, while Jaedin Griggs led Moon with 26 points.

Three stars

*** — Conner Crossey, Franklin Regional. Crossey went off for a career-high 38 points while leading Franklin Regional (10-10, 5-7) to a 73-71 overtime win against visiting Latrobe (16-4, 8-4) in Class 5A Section 1. The Panthers outscored Latrobe, 6-4, in overtime.

** — Will Evans, Nazareth Prep. Evans produced a triple-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks to push host Nazareth Prep (14-4, 8-0) to a 53-36 win against Summit Academy (7-7, 4-4) in Class 1A Section 1.

* — Tyler Heckathorn, Blackhawk. On senior night, Heckhathorn, a senior, finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds to lead host Blackhawk (6-12, 3-8) to an 80-67 win against Lincoln Park (2-16, 0-9) in Class 5A Section 4.

Hot from deep

Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Taegan Russo, Shenango, 8; Drew Navetta, Mars, 6; David Kwiat, Neshannock, 6; Nate Yuhas, Steel Valley, 6; Sofia Brandy, Montour, 5; Erond Jakupi, Keystone Oaks, 4; Amon Hawthorne, Penn Hills, 4; Emma Ruperto, West Allegheny, 4; Sadie Orie, Bethel Park, 3; Jackson Maddix, Bishop Canevin, 3; Mads Pevarnik, Hempfield, 3; Markus McGowan, Jeannette, 3; Joey Nail, Mohawk, 3; Damien Harrison, New Castle, 3; Grant Spacciapolli, Pine-Richland, 3.

Scoreboard

Boys scores

WPIAL Class 6A

Section 1

Butler 72, Seneca Valley 57

Fox Chapel 53, North Hills 48

New Castle 55, Pine-Richland 47

Woodland Hills 54, North Allegheny 52

Section 2

Canon-McMillan 71, Hempfield 59

Central Catholic 65, Norwin 50

Mt. Lebanon 74, Connellsville 27

WPIAL Class 5A

Section 1

Franklin Regional 73, Latrobe 71 (OT)

Laurel Highlands 51, Albert Gallatin 47

Penn-Trafford 62, McKeesport 44

Uniontown 75, Gateway 60

Section 2

Indiana 59, Armstrong 55 (OT)

Kiski Area 70, Shaler 39

Penn Hills 52, Plum 45

Section 3

Baldwin 72, Ringgold 41

Bethel Park 65, Thomas Jefferson 63

Peters Township 53, South Fayette 47

Section 4

Blackhawk 80, Lincoln Park 67

Montour 50, West Allegheny 41

Moon 64, Mars 54

WPIAL Class 4A

Section 1

Freeport 57, Burrell 51

Knoch 48, Deer Lakes 45

North Catholic 69, Highlands 52

Section 2

Avonworth 56, Central Valley 42

Beaver 78, Ambridge 58

Hopewell 60, Quaker Valley 58

Section 3

Belle Vernon 76, East Allegheny 49

Derry 56, Yough 26

Elizabeth Forward 58, West Mifflin 54

WPIAL Class 3A

Section 1

Aliquippa 89, New Brighton 17

Mohawk 63, Beaver Falls 50

Riverside 46, Freedom 33

Section 2

Bishop Canevin 78, Carlynton 39

Keystone Oaks 55, McGuffey 47

Washington 43, Sto-Rox 41

Section 3

Shady Side Academy 60, Apollo-Ridge 35

South Allegheny 55, Seton LaSalle 47

South Park 57, Steel Valley 43

Section 4

Charleroi 68, Mount Pleasant 51

Ligonier Valley 75, Brownsville 65

Southmoreland 58, Waynesburg 51 (OT)

WPIAL Class 2A

Section 1

Frazier 66, California 58 (OT)

Greensburg Central Catholic 65, Riverview 34

Jeannette 54, Springdale 39

Section 2

Brentwood 69, Leechburg 30

Northgate 63, Winchester Thurston 32

Sewickley Academy 69, Propel Braddock Hills 40

Section 3

Carmichaels 64, Mapletown 40

Chartiers-Houston 57, Beth-Center 20

Jefferson-Morgan 45, Fort Cherry 44

Section 4

Laurel 68, South Side 58

Neshannock 89, Western Beaver 32

Shenango 75, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 70

Union 70, Rochester 42

WPIAL Class 1A

Section 1

Aquinas Academy 55, Beaver County Christian 21

Cornell 65, Avella 60

Nazareth Prep 53, Summit Academy 36

Section 2

Monessen 76, Environmental Charter 49

Neighborhood Academy 80, Geibel Catholic 37

Serra Catholic 75, St. Joseph 30

City League

Allderdice 46, Obama Academy 38

Brashear 76, Westinghouse 58

Carrick 81, Perry 48

Girls scores

WPIAL Class 6A

Section 1

North Allegheny 56, Woodland Hills 26

Pine-Richland 56, North Hills 43

Seneca Valley 57, Butler 53

Section 2

Canon-McMillan 48, Hempfield 47 (OT)

WPIAL Class 5A

Section 1

Shaler 48, Gateway 10

Section 3

Mars 54, Moon 53 (OT)

West Allegheny 63, Montour 57

Section 4

Thomas Jefferson 60, Bethel Park 53

WPIAL Class 3A

Section 2

Greensburg Central Catholic 83, East Allegheny 10

WPIAL Class 1A

Section 1

St. Joseph 64, Western Beaver 42

City League

Allderdice 78, Obama Academy 42

Brashear 53, Westinghouse 19

Carrick 47, Perry 45